Recently, the Platte Valley Arts Council moved two murals into the Platte Valley Community Center. “The murals were deteriorating due to their age and the outdoor weather conditions, and we wanted to prevent further damage,” says Stacy Crimmins, president of the arts council.
The two public art murals have been displayed since 2006 when the arts council wrote grants for their first public art project. Four murals were created by local artists Judi Miller-Morris, Dawn Senior-Trask and Denise Patton-McGuire. The mural by Patton was destroyed when the new Hobo Pool shower facility was built. Several picnic tables painted with landscapes by Patton have also been dismantled since then.
Judi Miller-Morris’ mural had been on display in the park between Sweet Marie’s Mercantile and The Grumpy Italian, also known as Hat Creek Park. The four sided mural features painted landscapes and quotes from four local authors: Gay Day Alcorn, Chuck Larsen, Annie Prioux, and Candy Moulton. The mural is now on display in The Donnan Training Room at the community center.
Dawn Senior-Trask’s mural had been on display on the south side of the Saratoga Museum. It featured four large panels depicting the history of the Valley according to the four seasons. Dawn used several historical photos to tell the story with a traditional quilt theme. The mural is now in the Shively Room at the community center.
“We are thankful for the collaboration with the Platte Valley Community Center Joint Powers Board.” said Crimmins. “Otherwise these murals might have been hidden away in a storage shed somewhere. Although some repairs need to be made to these murals, they are still just as beautiful and inspiring as they were nineteen years ago.”
